Aidani

Occupying just 30 hectares across the island, Aidani makes up a tiny fraction of the grapes grown on Santorini. It is a difficult variety to vinify with enormous vintage variability. Perhaps for this reason plantings remain small and Aidani continues to play second fiddle to Assyrtiko. 

And yet, in keeping with the DNA of our winery, Vassaltis is dedicated to vinifying the native Santorinian grapes. Not only do we want to introduce these flavors to the world, but we have made a commitment to keeping their production alive to pass onto the next generation. We believe that Aidani can make spectacular single variety wines. 

However, that wild vintage variation makes our assertion difficult to manage. For that reason, we only make varietal Aidani in especially good vintages. So far, we have had more auspicious vintages than not and have been successful in this endeavour in more years than not, including 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022. Unfortunately, given the lack of volume of grapes available, our production has been small so we keep this as a special wine offered only in our tasting room.

When Aidani has a good year, it has a great year and it does not require any fancy tricks in the winery to make this variety shine. We ferment it in stainless steel tanks and let it rest on the lees, with no battonage, for 7 months and are rewarded with a balanced and aromatic wine. Floral notes of jasmine and orange blossom mingle with tropical fruits, soft herbs, and a streak of salinity while the palate delivers a fulsome texture and refreshing finish.